Five top tips to save on your car hire, when holidaying abroad

We all know holidaying abroad can be an enormous expense. Hotel rates are often the single biggest expense but one of the more unpredictable expenses can be hiring a care. Here are some tips to help you get the best deal when looking to hire a car abroad:-

Shop Around – The first, and most obvious piece of advice is to shop-around. You can make sizable savings by doing the background research. Make sure you check for any cash back offers, or hidden cleaning fees, and fees for children’s seats, as these can really add up.

Book early – Make sure you book early. You can save £100s particularly if you book out of the peak-season. Our advice is to shortlist a few of the best options and monitor the comparison site for deals. Once you find a good deal, book in advance.

Get an independent excess insurance policy – It’s so easy to be talked into buying a costly insurance excess by your car hire firm, as protection. These fees can add significantly to the cost of the hire car. It’s much better, we believe, and cheaper to get your own policy, from an independent provider.

Pay with a credit card – Car hire firms will provide most payment methods. We recommend that you pay by credit card over cash, assuming the hire cost is over £100, you will benefit from the extra protection should something go wrong.

Check the vehicle thoroughly and take pictures – Always be vigilant. If something does go wrong, things can get messy. It’s important you take a few basic precautions to prevent any problems arising:-

Check the car inside and out – take photos to verify the condition of the vehicle.

Check if the car is a petrol or diesel engine. If you make a mistake and put the wrong fuel in to the vehicle, it is unlikely to be covered.